Entertainment
The 1980s Thriller So Extreme, It Almost Didn’t Make It Past The Censors
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Most serial killer movies land firmly in the R rated category so they can see a wide theatrical release and score big with horror fans at the box office. 1986’s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, on the other hand, was deemed so extreme when it made its early rounds through the festival circuit that it was slapped with an X rating by the MPAA despite its positive reception. While several versions of the film have circulated over the years in an effort to secure an R rating, the unrated cut is currently streaming for free on Tubi, and it’s easy to see why the censors were all over this one.
By today’s standards, the violence in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer feels surprisingly restrained on a practical level. There are still a handful of brutally effective sequences in the second and third acts that will make your skin crawl, but it’s not necessarily the gore that risks putting you off. Much of the violence plays out like crime scene photographs taken after the fact rather than staged acts of carnage. That said, those images alone are more than enough to make you want to wash your eyeballs out with Listerine.
Based loosely on the life of real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, who famously claimed responsibility for hundreds of murders, and his associate Ottis Toole, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer leans into its depravity with a level of casual confidence that’s far more unsettling than stylized cinematic violence. It’s not the crimes themselves that are most disturbing here, but the people committing them as if it were just another day at work.
Simple Story, Complex Characters
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer wastes no time introducing its three principal characters. We first meet Henry (Michael Rooker) as he drifts from town to town, picking up hitchhikers and stopping at diners. These mundane routines are punctuated by shock cuts of the bodies he leaves behind, but we never actually see him commit the murders themselves. This approach tells you everything you need to know about Henry. He’s completely unassuming, and the contrast between his outward normalcy and the devastation he causes makes it clear how easily he blends in with society.
Meanwhile, Otis (Tom Towles), Henry’s former prison mate and current roommate, is returning from the airport with his sister Becky (Tracy Arnold), who will be staying with them for the time being. When Becky presses Henry about his past, he’s forthcoming about murdering his abusive mother, the crime that landed him in prison. Becky doesn’t immediately see Henry as a bad person because she comes from an abusive household herself and understands how desperate circumstances can push people to extreme behavior that they later regret.
As Becky searches for work and tries to get back on her feet with plans to eventually return home, Otis and Henry embark on an increasingly brutal crime spree that steadily escalates. It begins with Henry killing the call girls he and Otis are seeing, but takes a darker turn after they rob a fence and steal his video equipment. Otis quickly develops a sick fascination with filming their crimes and watching the footage back when they return home.
During this stretch, Henry lays out his philosophy for staying ahead of the law, explaining the importance of constantly changing his MO and staying on the move. As the body count rises, Otis’s lack of impulse control begins to clash with Henry’s colder, more methodical approach. Otis is reckless in a way that somehow makes Henry look almost reasonable by comparison, and that growing tension eventually puts the two men at odds.
A Total Punisher In The Best Kind Of Way
Visually and thematically, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is far from an easy watch. As a character study, it remains one of director John McNaughton’s most punishing and effective efforts because it refuses to pull its punches. The violence is disturbing on its own, but what lingers far longer is the sheer indifference behind it. Henry can be polite, patient, and accommodating with Becky, only to turn into a monster without warning.
That duality is the film’s most unsettling quality. One moment he’s helping Becky clean up after dinner. The next, he’s stepping out to murder a call girl with the same emotional investment you’d put into a late night gas station run for cigarettes. The lack of distinction between those two worlds is what makes the film so difficult to shake.
Boasting an 89 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a certified fresh outing that grapples with subject matter that’s rotten to its core. Whether you can handle it is entirely up to you, but if you’re willing to find out, the unrated version is currently streaming for free on Tubi as of this writing.
J.I The Prince of N.Y
Saves Nurse Buried in Snowstorm
Published
TMZ.com
Rapper J.I The Prince of N.Y helped rescue a stranded nurse during the dangerous snowstorm that slammed the Northeast last weekend after spotting her partially buried car along Interstate 95.
TMZ has obtained exclusive video showing Rivera and his team stopping along the snow-covered highway and digging the woman’s vehicle out as heavy snow blankets the roadway.
The Brooklyn-born recording artist had just wrapped a weekend of performances in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. On Monday afternoon, after checking out around noon, Rivera and his team began driving back toward New York in near white out conditions on largely unplowed roads.
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According to those with Rivera, they traveled nearly 45 minutes without passing another vehicle. We’re told that’s when Rivera noticed a white car stuck on the shoulder, with a woman waving through an open window.
Because of limited visibility, their SUV initially passed the vehicle. The team reversed and headed down the empty highway to check on her. Crew members exited and dug snow away from the driver’s side door to free her.
The woman told them she had been stranded since about 8 AM after getting stuck in the storm. She said she contacted police and roadside assistance but was unable to get help.
Rivera and his team drove her directly to her residence and walked her inside safely. We’re told she offered to pay them, but they declined.
The woman remains unaware the person who stopped to help her was a nationally recognized recording artist.
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
For actors, performing in Star Trek is often a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they quickly gain a legion of new fans, and they can spend a lifetime appearing at nerd conventions filled with hungry autograph seekers. On the other hand, they might need those convention appearances when they inevitably get typecast as their famous sci-fi character.
Every now and then, though, Star Trek actors break free of their famous franchise and show us what they can do in entirely different genres. A great example of this is Green Room (2015), a viscerally disturbing horror film featuring veteran spacers Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin. If you want to see what happens when these two set their acting phasers to “stunning,” all you have to do is stream its macabre madness for yourself on Netflix.
When Horror Goes Punk
The premise of Green Room is that after a punk band’s gig gets canceled, a radio host finds them an alternate venue with one big catch: it’s a neo-Nazi bar. After they play, the band discovers a dead body in the titular green room, and that’s when everything goes to hell. Just like that, a band of traveling musicians just trying to make a name for themselves are caught in a fight for their lives against unflinching foes who won’t stop until they are six feet in the ground.
Green Room has a few surprising names in its cast, including Imogen Poots (best known for 28 Weeks Later) and Alia Shawkat (best known for Arrested Development). But in terms of young leads, nobody in this film is killing it quite as much as Anton Yelchin (best known for the 2009 Star Trek), who helps give this punk rock film its beating heart. Meanwhile, Patrick Stewart (best known for Star Trek: The Next Generation) does his best to rip that heart out, giving an absolutely chilling performance as the film’s ultimate Big Bad.
From Box Office Bomb To Critical Darling
Sadly, Green Room was a box office bust when it first came out, earning only $3.8 million against a budget of $5 million. Losing the studio money like this ensured that we would never get a proper sequel, which is a shame because this is one of the most unsettlingly effective horror films of the modern age. Fortunately, the film eventually established itself as a cult hit, and the growing number of fans soon joined the legion of critics who had already dubbed Green Room a modern masterpiece.
When Green Room came out, it quickly won over professional reviewers with its electrical intensity and charismatic performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, it had a rating of 90 percent, with critics praising the film for its intelligent execution of a brilliant genre script. They also spoke highly of Star Trek veterans Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin, whose immense talents help to highlight the generation gap at the heart of this movie’s surprisingly trenchant commentary on the intersection of punk music and Neonazi violence.
This Film Is Nonstop Tension
Part of why this movie works is that it leaves you in a constant state of tension that is punctuated only by horrific acts of brutal violence. This isn’t a horror film where the characters have fun vibing out until they are picked off, one by one, by some faceless killer. Instead, Green Room keeps its protagonist on the edge of their seat, and we are right there along with them; when the hammer finally drops, you’ll let out the breath you didn’t realize you were holding, if only so you can finally scream.
Additionally, the violence of Green Room is that much more impactful because everything is gritty and down to Earth. This isn’t a movie filled with stylized action, quippy one-liners, or lantern-jawed heroes saving the day; rather, it’s a movie in which our flawed heroes constantly make mistakes, which is that much more horrifying because everyone in this film is just one screw-up away from death. When (not if) death comes for your favorite characters, it’s in the form of unpolished violence sure to give you some serious nightmares.
Scream Me Up, Scotty!
At the center of those nightmares will be Sir Patrick Stewart, who is delightfully cast against type as a Neonazi leader who never met a problem he couldn’t solve with murder. His performance is electric, and he commands your attention every moment that he’s in the frame. That’s the genius of his casting, of course: for audiences used to seeing him as the genial Captain Picard, it’s wonderfully perverse to see his commanding presence and hear his confident baritone coming out of a character who is pure evil incarnate.
Will you agree that Green Room is one of the most terrifying tales of the modern age, or would you rather tell this Nazi punk film to f*** off? The only way to find out is to grab the remote (it’s in the green room, next to the snacks) and stream it for yourself on Netflix. Afterwards, you may finally learn a lesson that horror movies have been trying to teach us since The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: there’s nothing scarier in America than the terrors you’ll find in a small town!
Sami Sheen
Soaks Up The Sun in Malibu!!!
Published
|
Updated
Sami Sheen — the daughter of Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards — brought the heat to Malibu this weekend.
The model and TV personality was photographed Saturday enjoying a sunny day at Paradise Cove Beach, rocking a bright red bikini while hanging out with friends along the scenic shoreline.
Sami kept things casual and carefree at one point, throwing on an oversized sweatshirt before peeling it off to catch some rays. She was spotted standing near the water, shielding her eyes from the sun, and later lounging on the sand with her crew.
Paradise Cove is a go-to celeb hotspot, and Sami appeared right at home, confidently strolling across the sand and enjoying the coastal breeze.
As you know, Sami has carved out her own lane in modeling, frequently sharing swimsuit snaps and lifestyle content with her growing following.
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Finished the final episode of your favorite show? Your new series obsession is waiting for you on Peacock.
Wes Anderson is one of the most consistent directors of his generation — you know what to expect from each of his pictures, and they are all more or less pretty good. But he knocked it out of the park with Asteroid City, a loopy, Looney Tunes-inspired comedy that sneakily transforms into a moving meditation on art and the universal human need to tell stories.
At a young astronomers’ convention in the titular desert city, a UFO suddenly appears and takes a meteorite from a crater in the town’s center. This amazing extraterrestrial first contact makes national news, resulting in a cadre of assorted reporters, scientists and religious groups to visit the city to see if the UFO will return. In the middle of all this chaos, a recently widowed father, Woodrow (Jason Schwartzman), struggles to reconcile his still lingering grief with a blossoming romance with famous film actress Midge (Scarlett Johansson).
That’s the basic plot of Asteroid City, but there’s so much more going on, like a framing device that makes everything you’re watching an elaborate play that’s also being filmed as a television documentary. Confused? Well, that’s only natural, but it’s also what makes Asteroid City so effective, moving — and strikingly different from the director’s previous works. With a cast that includes Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody and Margot Robbie, the movie is packed with enough starpower to keep you engaged, even when you get a little lost in its surreal story.
Alex Pretti
Remembered by Mom in Heart-Wrenching B-Day Tribute
Published
It’s been just over a month since Alex Pretti was shot and killed during a chaotic immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis … and on what would have been his 38th birthday, his mom is pouring her heart out online.
Pretti’s mom shared a touching Instagram tribute Sunday, posting a smiling photo of her son standing in front of a rocky desert landscape. Over the image, she wrote about the pain of losing him, saying when you lose a child, you lose more than just a child … you lose a piece of your heart and part of your future.
She added his laughter, smile and love will remain with her forever, calling him her “precious boy” who will never fade from her soul.
As we reported … Pretti, a Minneapolis ICU nurse, was shot and killed in January during an immigration enforcement operation while federal agents were conducting what officials described as a targeted action when gunfire erupted.
Drop Site News
In February, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner officially ruled Pretti’s death a homicide, confirming he died from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities have said the shooting occurred during a tense confrontation, while Pretti’s family and supporters insist he did not brandish a weapon nor pose as a threat.
His death sparked protests and calls for transparency as federal investigators began reviewing the incident.
Delroy Lindo has addressed the controversial moment when he and Michael B. Jordan stood onstage at the BAFTA Awards and Tourette’s advocate John Davidson shouted the n-word at them. While joining ‘Sinners’ director Ryan Coogler onstage at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 28, Delroy paused to acknowledge the outpouring support. Michael B., who also attended the annual ceremony, seemingly chimed in, offering a simple response that fans can’t stop talking about.
RELATED: BAFTA Awards Moment Sparks Backlash After Man With Tourette’s Yells N-Word During Michael B. Jordan & Delroy Lindo’s Presentation
Delroy Lindo Breaks His Silence On BAFTA Awards Controversy
While onstage at the NAACP Image Awards, Delroy Lindo thanked everyone for their support after John Davidson shouted the n-word at him and Michael B. Jordan at the BAFTA Awards in February. Lindo received a standing ovation during the ceremony, telling the crowd it meant a lot to see so many people show love.
“Before we start, I’d just like to officially say, we appreciate — I appreciate — we appreciate all the support and the love that we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend,” Delroy during the NAACP Awards.
From there, Delroy highlighted the sense of the community at the NAACP Image Awards.
“It means a lot to us. It is an honor to be here amongst our people this evening.” Lindo continued, “Among so many people who have shown us such incredible support. And it’s a classic case of something that could be very negative becoming very positive.”
Michael B. Jordan Embraces Black Excellence & Focuses On Positivity
Michael B. Jordan had a lot to celebrate at the NAACP Image Awards, taking home Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. While accepting the Outstanding Actor Award, Michael dedicated it to the late Chadwick Boseman and, in the middle of thanking his team and family, he made sure to mention how much “he loves being Black.” The audience went wild with cheers, and fans are sharing the moment all over social media.
@revolt THAT part 👏🏾🖤 Michael B. Jordan wraps up his “Outstanding Performance” speech at the NAACP Image Awards in the best way possible 🏆✨ #michaelbjordan #sinners #naacpimageawards ♬ original sound – REVOLT
John Davidson Breaks Silence & Explains Tics Following Backlash Over BAFTA Incident
Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan’s comments come after John Davidson spoke out about the BAFTA Awards incident. Davidson thanked BAFTA for giving the audience a heads-up about his Tourette’s and explained that his tics are involuntary. He also thanked the audience for welcoming him at the event. Davidson added that he feels “deeply mortified” about those who think his tics were intentional. The Tourette’s advocate said he left the BAFTA ceremony early because his tics were causing “distress.”
“I was in attendance to celebrate the film of my life, I Swear, which, more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits, and manifestations of Tourette Syndrome,” John Davidson reportedly said in the statement. He continued, “I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness, and understanding from others, and I will continue to do so.”
Variety reported that Davidson also shouted other offensive things during the show, like “shut the f*** up” and “f*** you” during a family and kids’ movie win announcement. The BAFTA Awards also caught heat for leaving Davidson’s racial slur at Delroy and Michael B. in the broadcast, even though they appeared to cut other remarks out like “Free Palestine” from the event.
RELATED: Tourette’s Advocate John Davidson Breaks His Silence After Shouting N-Word During BAFTA Awards (UPDATE)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Chet Hanks
I’m Stranded In Colombia!!!
Published
Tom Hanks‘ son Chet Hanks says he’s currently stranded in Colombia after running into a passport problem while trying to return to the United States.
The actor and musician explained on Instagram that he was traveling with his Greek passport — he’s a dual citizen — because his American passport was close to expiring. According to Chet, airline officials would not allow him to board his flight without the proper U.S. documentation required for re-entry.
Instagram/@chethanks
As a result, he says he’s stuck in Medellín until he can resolve the issue. Chet told his followers, the next step is heading to the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá to obtain emergency travel paperwork. “Free me,” he captioned one post about the situation.
Despite the setback, Chet appeared to be making the most of it, sharing videos from around the city while he waits to sort things out.
The situation drew plenty of attention online, with some fans noting the similarity that his father famously starred in “Cast Away,” a film about being stranded far from home.
Delroy Lindo
Responds to BAFTA Broadcast Slur
Published
Delroy Lindo is addressing the racial slur that was heard during the BAFTA Film Awards last weekend while he and Michael B. Jordan were presenting onstage.
As we reported … a man identified as Tourette’s syndrome advocate John Davidson shouted a racial slur from the audience last Sunday while Lindo and Jordan were at the podium. The remark was picked up on the live broadcast and immediately sparked outrage.
BBC
Davidson later said the outburst was the result of his Tourette’s syndrome.
At the NAACP Image Awards Saturday, Lindo briefly referenced the incident and the reaction that followed, focusing his remarks on the support he’s received in the aftermath.
He thanked fans, peers and the community for the outpouring of love and solidarity, making it clear he and his collaborators deeply appreciated those who reached out following the disturbing moment.
TMZ.com
While the BAFTA incident continues to generate discussion about live broadcast standards and how such situations are handled, Lindo kept his tone measured choosing to highlight unity and gratitude rather than relive the controversy.
Entertainment
Craving More ‘Frankenstein’? This Oscar-Nominated Horror Epic Just Found a Streaming Home
Frankenstein is more alive than ever these days. The Bride!, Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s take on the Mary Shelley mythos, is hitting theaters next week, while Guillermo del Toro‘s more traditional adaptation of the novel debuted on Netflix late last year — and is up for nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for the movie’s monster, Jacob Elordi. And while the Academy Awards have traditionally not been a welcoming place for horror, another Frankenstein movie got a nod from the Academy back in 1994, and you can catch it at its new streaming home.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein followed in the wake of Francis Ford Coppola‘s phantasmagorical Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which was a hit with critics and audiences in 1992. Coppola was a producer on Frankenstein, which was armed with a surefire creative team: Kenneth Branagh, already well-regarded for his Shakespeare adaptations, was set to star and direct, while the script was by Frank Darabont, whose adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption hit theaters a month earlier. The cast included Oscar nominees Tom Hulce, Ian Holm, and Helena Bonham Carter, and featured Robert De Niro in the showy role of the monster. De Niro’s grisly makeup, which greatly diverges from the popular conception of the flat-topped, bolt-necked monster, was nominated for an Academy Award, but lost to Ed Wood.
What Other Frankenstein Movies Have Been Nominated for Oscars?
While 1931’s iconic Frankenstein might have won an Oscar for Best Makeup, the category wasn’t introduced until the 1980s. The first Frankenstein film to get an Oscar nod was 1935’s Bride of Frankenstein, which earned a nomination for Best Sound Recording. Another Frankenstein movie wouldn’t be nominated until 1974, when Mel Brooks‘ Universal horror homage Young Frankenstein was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound, both of which it lost. A Frankenstein movie of sorts, Gods and Monsters is the real-life story of the later years of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein director James Whale; Ian McKellen earned a nod for Best Actor for his portrayal of Whale, while Lynn Redgrave was recognized for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Whale’s housemaid. The film actually won Best Adapted Screenplay, a first for a Frankenstein movie, for writer/director Bill Condon.
While Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein largely follows the book faithfully for much of its runtime, it takes a wild swerve in its final reel into a twisted homage to Bride of Frankenstein. Critical opinions were mixed, resulting in a 42% Rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it earned $112 million USD at the box office on a $45 million budget. Darabont was disappointed with the film, as well: he later called it “the best script I ever wrote and the worst movie I’ve ever seen.”
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is streaming on HBO Max as of March 1, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
- Release Date
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November 4, 1994
- Runtime
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123 minutes
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